Family vies for wheelchair van

Wednesday

Mar 27, 2013 at 12:14 PMMar 27, 2013 at 12:19 PM

Cynthia Grau

May is National Mobility Awareness Month and one Pontiac family is in the running to receive a wheelchair-accessible van from an online contest in honor of the special month.The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association is sponsoring the contest, which pits all the entrants against each other in a race to see who gets the most votes. The top 5 percent of the vote getters will appear in front of a special panel to explain their story and why they deserve the van and the winner will be chosen from that group, so the top vote getter won’t necessarily be the winner. Linda Lane’s daughter, Magen, entered her mother in the contest. She wrote an explanation as to why her mom needs the van the most, which can be found on the voting website, www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/linda-lane-pontiac-il/.Lane says having a wheelchair-accessible van would make a world of difference in her day-to-day life.“Up until my mom’s passing, I would take three disabled people out at a time. Tiffanie (Lane, her daughter) could get out to the car herself, but I had to assist my mom out there. Then I had to pick Kayleigh (Perez, her granddaughter) up and carry her,” Lane said.The daily work caring for the two has taken its toll on her body, enflaming her arthritis and adding new aches and pains for her to work through. She said that, no matter the issues, she’s up every morning, helping the two get anything they need.“Whether I’m sick or I’m not, I have to do this every day. My husband helps and my daughter helps and whoever is here will help. I can’t not get myself out of bed for these two. If I have a headache, I have to work through it. My own aches and pains have to be put to the side,” Lane said.Tiffanie Lane was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis five years ago. At its onset, she had vision issues and numbness in her hands, which quickly escalated to cognitive and mobility problems. She is still able to walk, although she tires quickly and uses a wheelchair when needed.“Unfortunately, my fear is that someday Tiffanie could be completely wheelchair-bound, because she already has problems with her walking. She has a wheelchair that we use, but it’s not something she has to use permanently, so I’m thankful for that,” Lane said.Perez, her granddaughter, is 7 years old. She was born with cytomegalovirus, or CMV, which Lane explains is a virus that more than 90 percent of the world’s population will have by the time they reach adulthood. She said the symptoms are similar to the flu, mono or a cold. “Tiffanie had a cold when she was three months pregnant and that’s pretty much when we think she got the virus. It attacks the fetus,” Lane explained. “If Tiffanie had it prior to being pregnant, then got it again while she was pregnant, her body would have had a natural immunity to it, but since she had never had it, that’s why Kayleigh has all her issues.”So far, as of last Thursday, the Lanes are at 37th place out of 471 nominees, with 1,024 votes. Voting runs through May 10. Currently, they are just 0.08 percent away from being in the top 5 percent, so the family would appreciate any votes that come their way.“To everybody that takes the time to vote, we totally appreciate it and I just wish that they could understand what a difference this could make. Just knowing that we’re getting the votes and the things people have posted and said has touched me to know that people care. It’s not even about winning anymore, it’s just hearing the people care,” Lane said.People can vote daily, one vote per IP address, at www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/linda-lane-pontiac-il/.Seeing all the support that the family has already gotten in this contest makes Lane emotional.She said through tears, “Personally, it makes me feel like a winner already. I started to read quite a few of the entries (on the voting website) and they all touched my heart. I just wish everybody that needed one (a wheelchair-accessible van) could have one.”